The Path to Ruby
by SnowieBearSnarl
Summary: Garnet Rose is a young boy living on the Island of Patch with his sister Yang and their father. Introverted and socially awkward, he struggles with making friends. He feels lost and isolated, both from those and around him and from himself. This is the story of how Garnet found who they really were and took their happiness into their own hands.
1. A Boy Named Garnet

"Mom… I didn't have the best day today." A young boy sat next to a small gravestone atop a hill. He wore shorts and a red hoodie that was just a little too big for him. He ran his hand through the soft grass, the blades tickling his palm as he felt the cool earth at his fingertips. A gentle breeze wrapped around him and the midday sun bathed his skin in warming light.

"I- I don't really know how to get along with the other kids in my class. I try but, I get so uncomfortable and no one seems to want to be my friend." He sighed, looking up to the sky, the sunlight shining off the tears pooling in his silver eyes made them sparkle.

"Big sis is there but… she helps but, her friends are kinda scary to me too." The boy fell into the grass, laying on his belly, his head held in his hands, propped up by his elbows as he stared at the marker. "I miss you mom…"

"Garnet... Dad wants us…" A small, soft voice called from behind her. The young boy jumped up, his heart skipping as beat as he turned around in a blur. Behind him, in the trees, was a young girl, taller than him. She had long, bright blonde hair and lilac eyes.

"Y-yang, I didn't see you… how long were you standing there?" Garnet asked nervously, unable to make eye contact with his sister.

"Not long… come on, we should go home." Yang's voice was gentle and tinged with sadness, and that only made it harder for Garnet to face her.

"Yeah… okay." His voice was week and absolutely defeated. He walked slowly to his sister, his head down and his eyes glued to the ground. Everything about his body language said more than his tone… he was hurting.

It was a quiet and awkward trek through the woods back to their house. Yang tried to brighten the mood with small talk but the pressure, the tightness of depression in Garnet's chest, it just wouldn't go away.

 _I try… I really do mom. I want to make friends, I want to fit in and be normal but… I get so scared around the other kids. I wish I were brave like Yang, or Dad, or Uncle Qrow… or you._ He could feel tears building up in his eyes again as he lamented his weakness. His jaw clenched tight and the path before him became clouded through a haze of tears.

"Garnet, stop." Yang called from behind, her hand falling gently but firmly on his shoulder, snapping him out of his spiraling thoughts. With unsurprising ease his sister spun him around, despite his struggling against her pull.

"I've been trying to make you better this whole walk but all you wanna do is mope around! I'm sorry my friends scare you, I was just trying to help you get more used to people!" Yang's voice became equal parts hurt and anger and she spoke, her eyes reflecting her desperation and helplessness to protect her little brother.

Guilt swept over Garnet as he tried setting his gaze anywhere but on his sister. His heart was racing, he didn't want this, he felt that same anxiety he always felt when people confronted him, he just wanted to… run away, fast.

"Look Garnet… I'm not mad at you I just, I just don't know how to help you." The anger and frustration in her voice melted away, leaving only helplessness and love.

"You can't Yang. I know you want to but, I just can't do it. I'll never have friends." His words were choked by a tightness in his throat, he wanted to cry, cry and run away.

"That's not true!" Yang shouted, grabbing her brother by both his shoulders and shaking him hard until he had no choice but to look her in the eyes. "You're sweet and strong and sensitive. You always try to think the best of everyone but yourself. You see a problem, you see someone hurting and you want to make it better!"

"Y-Yang…" Garnet was awestruck by the passion and hurt in his sister's eyes.

"Garnet, there's so much good in you and someday, you'll see, you'll find friends who love you for exactly who you are!"

"Do you… really think so Yang?" Garnet could feel the depression sweeping over him again, his heart felt like it was made of ice.

"I really know so. Someday, I'll get to say 'I told you so'." She released his shoulders and gave her signature, cocksure smile. "Come on, if we don't hurry, Dad won't save us any cookies."

Without another word, Yang took the lead, leaving little Garnet Rose trailing along behind her. Normally… the knowledge of freshly baked cookies waiting for him would have made his happy but right now, all he could do was sink further and further into depression.

 _How can I find friends that love me for who I am when… I don't love who I am?_


	2. Wayward Soul

Gentle morning light warmed his pale skin as it streamed in from the window beside him. The sound of chirping birds stirred him from his sleep. With a groggy moan he sleepily rolled to his side, pulling his blanket over his heat to further shield him from the light, leaving only a patch of short black and red hair poking out.

"Finally awake?" Yang's worried tone further shook him reluctantly from his sleep.

Begrudgingly, he took a long deep breath a pulled the covers down just enough for his eyes and nose to peek out over the blanket. It was bright and warm in their room, and Yang was already dressed. His sister stared down at him with unease and concern. He couldn't be sure why, but the look his sister gave him, only made his mood worse.

"What time is it?" Garnet sighed, trying to do anything to get her to stop looking at him that way… apparently, that wasn't the question to ask as her expression only grew more worried.

"Garnet… it's almost eleven. You've slept all morning… again."

"Is it really that late? I'm still kinda tired. It's the weekend so, maybe another half hour will-"

"No!" Yang shouted, storming up to his bed. In a flurry of anger she ripped the blanket off of him, despite his best efforts to resist. He felt the relatively cold air swirl around his bare chest and he longed to be back under the warm blanket.

"Garnet, I know you're bummed out because you're having a hard time making friends, but you've been sleeping longer and longer lately! This isn't gonna get you any more popular!" Yang was growling and she was afraid Yang's mood would set off her Semblance.

"Fine, fine! I get it, I'm getting out of bed, I'm sorry… I've just been tired more lately, that's all. Maybe… I'm getting sick." Garnet didn't believe a word he said, but he couldn't imagine another reason, besides avoiding how terrible he's felt waking up lately.

"Get up, we're going out." Yang said with finality as she tossed the blanket across the room. She turned to her brother and put her finger in his face. "If you're not dressed and out of this room in five minutes I'll drag you outside, got it?!"

"Yeah…" He sighed as he sat up in his bed, stretching halfheartedly. "I got it, I'll be out soon."

"Good, get your butt dressed, I'll be waiting in the kitchen." Yang's face softened with a loving smile as she tussled his short hair. "Don't worry, it's gonna be fun."

"Got it… I'll be out soon." He repeated with a slightly annoyed tone in his voice as he swung his legs off the bed and sat up.

"Good boy!" Yang giggled as she walked out of his room, shutting the door behind her.

Garnet sighed, his tension easing as he was left alone. His eyes quickly drifted to his blanket that lay in a pile on the floor and just for a moment, he considered just locking his door and going back to sleep.

"No… Yang would break down the door and kick my butt." He giggled weakly to himself. _Besides, maybe I have been sleeping too much lately._

With way more effort that it should have taken, Garnet forced himself out of his comfy bed and threw on the first clothes he could find and his baggy red hoodie. _Something's just… not right with me and I can't figure it out… I wish I could go back to bed._

* * *

Garnet walked down the stairs to the living room, the TV was on and it sounded like their dad was waiting for him. He could hear hushed mumbles, Yang and Dad muttering to each other, it didn't seem to be a pleasant conversation. Dreading getting in the middle of it, his thoughts turned back to his bed, his games, anything else but going downstairs or going out really.

 _No… if Dad and Yang are arguing I should try to do something._ His dull eyes flashed with determination for a moment as he stepped down the stairs, forcing a smile as best he could, hoping to bring the mood up.

"Good morning everyone, sorry I slept so late I-" He stopped as he looked down at his family from the middle of stairs. Yang and their dad stopped speaking immediately and their worried gaze settled on her.

He couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized they were arguing about him. _I bet they were having a family meeting about me… I hate making them so worried. I just- I just don't know what to do right now!_

"I- is everything okay?" He tried his best to sound normal but his internal lashing bled through to his voice and a tinge of anger and frustration bittered his tone.

"Yes son, everything… alright. Why don't you come down here and join us before heading out? Have some breakfast?" A tall man with short blonde hair sat in an arm chair, Yang stood beside him looking equal parts worried and frustrated.

"Sure…" Garnet said flatly, his stare fell to the ground and he made his way to the living room, the dull, exhausted look in his eyes returned as the possibilities of his family's conversation ran through his mind.

 _I know they're just trying to help but what can they do? I don't even really know what's wrong! I- I just have this thing, it's deep in my mind, I can feel it there but…_

"Garnet!" Yang called excitedly as she shoved him playfully from behind.

"What is it Yang? You almost knocked me over?" He said apathetically as he turned to face her.

"Aren't you curious about where I'm taking you?" She grinned, appearing very pleased with herself.

"Yeah, I guess?" He didn't want to admit it but, he was also a little afraid. Yang's surprise trips were rarely ever fun for him. Garnet couldn't help but think back to being pulled in a little red wagon years ago.

"We're going to Signal." Her grin was even wider now and her eyes were burning with anticipation. She was dying to tell him why.

"What? It's the weekend, why are we going to your school on now?" He shrugged.

"Well as it just so happens, I forged my weapons last week and it's ready for pickup. I thought we could go get it together."

Garnet's eyes were suddenly sparkling with wonder and excitement, a smile spread across his face as he stared up at his sister.

"But I guess you'd rather mope around, I'll just go get it myself. I was even gonna give it a test run and you could have been the first to see me use my awesome weapon!" She threw her hands up and turned around and very slowly started walking away.

"Y-yang wait! Let me eat breakfast real quick! I wanna come!" His voice was frantic and excited as he rushed around the kitchen getting. Yang smiled with warm satisfaction at the life coming back into his eyes, but she felt worry still lingering in her heart.

 _Oh Garnet, I wish you'd talk to me. You're my little brother, I'm supposed to be the one you come to when you're having problems… why won't you open up to me?_

Plate of pancakes in hand, Garnet sat at the kitchen table, his back turned towards his sister. He knew she was watching him, but with his face out of view, he let down his smile and his face became sullen once again as he ate.

 _I'm sorry Yang… I know you and Dad are worried. I just- I just need to figure out what this is. But every time I reach out for it…_ A Powerful, dull ache squeezed his chest. He could only clench his jaw as tight as he could to bear through it silently. _Every time I reach out for it, it just hurts, more and more. There's something wrong with me… I'm not sure I want to face what it is._


	3. The Garnet Problem- Part 1

**Bang!**

The explosive power of Yang's punch letting loose a blast from her new weapon, the shotgun gauntlets formally named the Ember Celica, vibrated through Garnet's bones. The boy stared wide eyed at his big sister, her golden hair swaying in the warm breeze, smoke rising out of the gauntlet's barrel. She was quite stunning...in a sort of badass way.

"Nailed it!" Yang said as she pumped her fist. The Huntress in training celebrated over the demolished target dummy that was now reduced to just a smoldering bunch of scrap. "What d'ya think?"

"That was awesome! Your weapon is so cool!" Garnet's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm that his sister hadn't seen in a disturbingly long while. "I can't believe you made that yourself! I'm so jealous!"

"Heh-heh, well, the school's weaponsmith did most of the work. She's one scary lady too, don't get on her bad side when you come here." Yang told him. Garnet tilted his head in confusion at the sight of Yang shuddering with the mere thought of this terrifying figure.

"Okay?" He hoped that his sister was just trying to scare him, as long as he remembered, there weren't many things that ever frightened Yang. _I- I've still got a year before I go in, maybe that weaponsmith will be gone by then?_

 **Bang!**

"Hey, bro! What if I swoop into battle, blasting these, then, I pause and say something like, ' _Let's start this battle off with a Yang!_ ' wouldn't that be awesome?!" Yang bounced on her toes, lashing out at the air with a flurry of punches, all while mouthing explosive sound effects.

 _Bleh, her and those puns, I don't want to tell her how awful they are… I'll just leave that to Uncle Qrow,_ he thought as he shook his head with a smirk, but all the while he kept his eyes on Yang. _That'll be me soon, I'll have my own weapon, I'll be cool and confident like Yang, I might even get some friends._

"Well, I think that's enough practice for right now, I'll get to use these babies some more in class anyway. What d'ya say we get some food, my treat." Her gauntlets retracted down to stylish bracelets. Unfortunately, Beacon was years away and, as a prep school student, she wasn't allowed to carry her weapons outside of school grounds without special permission. "I'm going to drop this off at my locker, wait here a sec!" Without waiting for a response, Yang rushed back into the school, leaving her little brother standing awkwardly alone at the outdoor combat facility.

 _She always runs off like that! What am I supposed to do out here? I don't have a Scroll like she does._ With a frustrated grumble, he resigned himself to waiting and hoping Yang didn't get distracted.

Plopping himself down against a nearby stone wall, Garnet got as comfortable as he could, preparing for a potentially long wait. _I wonder what kind of weapon I should make? Gauntlets like Yang; a scythe like Uncle Qrow; maybe I should pick something unique? Like… Uhg, this is so hard! I think I heard dad tell Yang that a weapon is supposed to be an extension of us, or something like that?_

"Why is everything so hard? How can I pick a weapon that's right for me…I feel like I don't even know myself..." His shoulders and head felt heavy with some cold, deep feeling he'd been experiencing so often lately. He didn't have a name for it, but he really, really disliked it.

Out of boredom, his eyes wandered around the training yard, until they stopped on a thin twig just out of arm's reach. A lightbulb went off and he scooched over until he could grab the small stick. Snapping off a few stray branches, he crafted the limb into an impromptu drawing tool.

Thanks to the fairly fine sand covering the field, the broken end of the twig did well enough for Garnet as he got to drawing. Starting with a blank figure of a person—proportions somewhat off—he slowly started filling in details. Between long pauses and frustrated erasing, he wasn't aware of the passing of time as he became lost in thought:

 _Hmm, okay, a cape! Just like Uncle Qrow. Or maybe a cloak, so it has a hood too, that way it's practical and cool looking! Hmm, um… shorts would look cute- no, cool, they'd keep me cool. Also… I want long hair, like Yang's! Maybe a top like this would look good… and for the weapon… for the weapon… um…_

"Hey! Nice drawing!"

"Eeep!" The sudden voice from right behind him startled Garnet, nearly toppling the boy forward onto his dirt drawing.

"Sorry! I didn't think I would scare you so bad!" A boy Garnet's age pulled himself up into the chest high wall, his legs dangling down beside Garnet.

"It's- it's okay... " Garnet tried to slow his breathing and heart rate down to normal before he turned his head up to see the boy who nearly gave him a heart attack. After a moment he found the boy was indeed about Garnet's age, though he was a little taller, somewhat skinny, pale with dusty light brown hair, and dazzling blue eyes. He was dressed in worn out clothes: khakis, a t-shirt, and sneakers that had obviously seen better days.

With a confident shove off from the top of the wall, the strange boy landed squarely on his feet next to Garnet, and that's when he saw the boy's most distinguishing feature:

 _A fox tail? He's a faunus?_ The small island of Patch wasn't home to many faunus, Garnet had only seen a small handful of them, so it took a moment for him to realize that he was staring for a bit too long at the boy's tail.

"So, what's her name?" He grinned, leaning back on the warm stone with his hands interlocked behind his head and his tail twitching happily behind him.

"Oh…um…" A long span of silence grew between them as Garnet struggled to say anything in his profound confusion and anxiety. Instead, he opted for withdrawing, pulling his head down and his shoulders up. "W-what?"

"Oh, sorry! I meant your drawing. I guess I should've said that first. My bad." His cheeks lit up in a soft blush and his voice got a bit quieter. Lowering himself down beside Garnet, the faunus boy sat shoulder to shoulder with him, looking down at his drawing in the sand.

"S-she?" Garnet was still reeling from the rapid series of unexpected events that it took a moment for what was going on to register.

"Yeah, or, did you just make her up and not name her yet?" He spoke even more quickly, Garnet had a hard time following, and quite frankly, he couldn't tell if the boy beside him was nervous, or just really energetic.

"I- I um…" Garnet paused again, looking down at the drawing he meant to be of himself in the future as a cool and confident Huntsman. Taking it in slowly, Garnet could now see what the boy meant, between the long hair, body shape, and outfit—and now it was hard for him to see anything _but_ a girl, and another wave of that cold feeling swept over him.

"I haven't named her..." said Garnet, sighing out his dull pain, he looked again at his drawing. He couldn't help but think, s _he is pretty though._

"Well, are you gonna?" The boys bright grin became less forced, superseded by a smaller, more natural smile.

"I guess I could…" For some reason that Garnet couldn't begin to understand, the tiniest smile brought a flicker of light to his face, even while the cold, bad feeling lingered. _Picking a name, okay, that's gotta be easier than making up a weapon. Let's see… what's a pretty name, something cool, but cute? Oh, I got it, how about-_

"Alan!" a girl's voice called out from a distance, snapping Garnet from his thoughts. Looking up, Garnet saw an older girl, she appeared to be about Yang's age, and she looked a lot like the boy next to him: she wore a pale purple short sleeve top, a matching skirt hemmed with pink ribbons, and a pink bow tied around her neck. Just like the boy, her clothes were well worn too.

"That's...my sister…" Alan's voice suddenly lost all of its energy and enthusiasm, instead, his smile was wistful and dull. "Hey, I've got to go, but I'll see you around, maybe?"

"Um…yeah, sure." Garnet smiled, more warmly and happily than usual, hoping to bring back that bright grin to the boy's face. "My name's garnet!"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Alan." There it was, Alan looked a bit more like he did just before his sister called him. "Well, see you later!"

Just like that…he ran off, leaving Garnet alone once again with only his drawing and his thoughts—but this time, he felt just a little happier than before. _Did I just make a friend?_

With gentle shake of his head, Garnet picked up his stick, and, with a smile, he went back to his drawing, giving it a proper name in the sand just beneath her. _Even though I couldn't picture myself, I guess this was still fun…_

"Hey bro!" Yang's voice chimed just as Garnet finished with his drawing. "Sorry that took me so long, ran into a classmate who just got her weapon—man, I didn't expect to feel jealous just a day after getting my babies. Oh well, that thing wasn't my style anyway."

"Do you know how long I've been out here?" Garnet said with puffed up cheeks and folded arms over his chest, glaring playfully at his big sister.

"Well, I'm treating you to lunch, so you can forgive me," Yang chimed with a shrug, joined with a grin while she offered her hand to her brother. Garnet reluctantly took her hand and Yang pulled him up off the ground like he were a feather.

"I don't know, I think I should get to pick where we eat." Garnet gave Yang a devious smirk, and now that he was finished with his work he dropped the stick onto the ground by his drawing.

"Fine, you win." Rolling her eyes, Yang easily gave in to Garnet's demands. "I'll meet you out front, I almost forgot to reset the combat dummies, I do _not_ need to start my week off getting chewed out."

"Sounds good!" Looking far happier than usual, Garnet rushed away before he could get drawn into any sort of cleaning.

"Uhg, that kid, what am I gonna do with…him?" Yang's attention was caught by a face in the sand. She had seen garnet drawing when she was walking up to him, but never quite got a good look at it until now. She reoriented herself against a wall, and from there she saw it from his brothers perspective.

It was a drawing of a girl, one with hair almost as long as Yang's own. Still, it was the name at the bottom that snuffed out Yang's smile into a worried and apprehensive visage.

"Ruby…"


	4. The Garnet Problem- Part 2

Dad held a family meeting…

 _"Hey sweetie, come sit with your old man. I made tea, your favorite." Tai smiled at his daughter, patting the place at the kitchen table beside him that he had reserved for her._

It wasn't really a family meeting though, it was just me and him.

 _Yang wearily looked around the room, her attention turning to the window, looking outside at the picturesque spring morning, she confirmed what she had suspected._

Turns out, Qrow had taken Garnet out for ice cream before I had even come downstairs. I knew what it was about.

 _"Thanks…" Yang sighed and walked over to her designated seat, the chair out facing her dad. Even with the calming smell of hot cinnamon tea, she still felt anxiety trickling up from her chest._

 _"We need to talk." His thumb gently rubbed the warm ceramic of his coffee mug. He usually tried to put up a good front for her and Garnet, but he looked completely exhausted._

He wanted to talk about the Garnet problem…

 _"Okay…" Yang made herself comfortable, cautiously sipping at her tea. Meanwhile, the room's tension grew denser and denser, her mind scrambling to figure out what she could possibly offer to help._

 _"Garnet... how's he doing? Any troubles at school? I checked his grades, they're usually near the top of his class but over the last couple of months he's been missing assignments and his teachers say he's having trouble focusing in class." Tai did his best to keep a warm smile, but his depression easily bled through._

 _"We aren't in the same school anymore, I don't know." Her response was cold and hurried, her chest welled up with bitter heat as anger burned from out of nowhere._

I really wouldn't know what's happening in his life anymore.

 _"Heh… right, I guess I forgot about that." The heaviest sigh Yang had ever heard left his mouth, she almost could see him deflating with hopelessness. "It's hard to remember sometimes… you both are growing up so fast."_

 _"I-" Her mouth opened but only a syllable escaped before anything else she could think of died on her lips. Slumping in her chair, all she could do was sip dejectedly at her drink._

 _"Nevermind about that, I'm alright. I'm just worried about him, he hasn't seemed like himself recently. I'm worried." He tried so hard to brush off his emotional fatigue, giving a half hearted laugh while his tired eyes fixated on his mug, watching the steam softly rise from the hot pool._

 _"It's been this way for a while. You just haven't noticed." The bitter words slipped out before she even knew what she had said. Her anger and frustration boiled over, and a bit of that scalding pain slipped out at her dad._

…

 _The room fell silent as Yang's words faded into the still air. Her gaze darted away from her dad and the look of deep guilt melded with her anger at him, two unbelievably heavy feelings that dragged her head down until all she could look at was her cup in her lap._

 _"Maybe… I haven't been as attentive as I should be." His fake smile died with that admission, in its place, was a broken man._

 _"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Once again, she couldn't bring herself to finish what she wanted to say. An upwelling of fire from her belly seared into her chest, all that hot anger aimed at the man in front of her._

Maybe if he wasn't still so broken over losing you, he would have been able to help. Ahg! I don't know what to do! I can't do this alone but no one is helping!

" _It's okay." With a solemn shake of his head, he placed his mug back on the table and fixed his attention back on his daughter. "I know you're worried about him, we all are."_

 _All Yang could do was nod silently, still trying to forced her anger back down, swallowing any harsh words that came up her throat before they could be spoken._

I'm stupid, I know they care.

 _"Has Garnet said anything to you? Has he given any indication what might be going on? I know you two are closer to each other than anyone else, please, help us help him." Tai's desperation and pure, unmitigated exhaustion came through with no filter or hesitation. All he could do was look pleadingly at his young daughter for help._

 _"Dad…" Hearing his pain filled earnestness and loss, all of Yang's anger was snuffed out in an instant, leaving nothing but the guilt. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him._

 _Her hands fumbled with her mug, turning it and adjusting her grip on the handle while she tried to get her out of control thoughts to calm down._

 _Through the storm of thoughts that pelted her like furious hail, she could only think of one thing to do._

 _…_

 _"He hasn't said anything. I don't know what's going on either."_

* * *

"What was I supposed to say!?" Yang cried desperately, the midday sun shining off her tear stained cheeks. Before the golden haired child, a lonely grave atop a grassy hill stood silent, listening to the girl's retelling of her morning.

"I don't know what's going on! Garnet isn't saying anything, all I have to go on is a drawing he made in the dirt when he was bored. It probably means nothing. How could I tell dad about that, what if I'm wrong and it pushes Garnet even further away?" She felt like she was going to throw up from all the stress and confusion.

"I- I wish you were still here. Garnet loved you so much, I mean, we all did, but he idolized you ya know? When you died, everything fell apart, Dad shut down, he's still barely himself anymore. I had to pick everything up, I had to be my little brother's mom, I had to take care of the house, I had to make sure Dad didn't forget to pay bills or eat." She was trembling as grief and rage eroded her long cultivated self control.

"I'm just a kid! How can I help Garnet? I have no idea what he's going through. He's supposed to trust me! I'm supposed to protect him but he's not letting me!" Breaking down in front of her stepmother's grave, the golden hair child wept on her hands and knees, trembling out of control.

 _Garnet… why won't you talk to me? Why won't you let me help? I'll always love you, no matter what. I want to protect you, I want to see you happy. For so long now, I feel like I've lost you. I try to reach out, but you just keep getting further away. Just let me in, you're not alone, whatever you're going through, we can face it together._

Gasping breathlessly in the cool grass, Yang's emotionally drained body gave out. It took so much just to roll into her back and stare up at the clear blue sky.

 _Even if he did open up to me… could I help? I don't know what he's going through, even through all that stress of practically raising him and keeping Dad's head above water, I don't think I ever got depressed. I felt lonely, I felt isolated, but I never felt like he's feeling now. I never slept all day, I never hated being awake, I never stopped caring about my appearance and I never stopped taking care of myself. I had to be strong for him, for Dad, for myself._

Tearing up a fistfull of grass, Yang held her balled up hand over her head. With her vision still hazy from her tears, she watched little green blurs float away on the gentle breeze.

 _I can barely get him to eat anymore. Yesterday after training was the first time I've seen him eat well in… too long. He's losing weight, we can all tell. He wears that same hoodie all the time, keeping his hood up as much as he can get away with. It's like he just wants to disappear._

"I won't let that happen. I won't lose him." As her tears dried, a new fire welled up in her chest, a golden inferno of determination. Her body was flooded with energy and every muscle felt reinvigorated with purpose. Though she didn't know it, her lilac eyes were scorched a deep crimson.

Shakily getting to her feet, Yang took a deep breath, and headed back down the path to home. _Thank you… mom._

* * *

"Come on pipsqueak, let's fix up that mop of yours." A familiar, teasing voice came from the living room as Yang entered her home.

"I… I…" She heard Garnet stammering, timid and anxious.

"Garnet, you haven't had your hair cut in months, your bangs are getting in your eyes, don't you want to be able to see?" Dad said half jokingly but his exhaustion from his earlier conversation that morning with Yang was still bleeding through.

"What's going on in here?" Yang stepped through the threshold, into the room to join the rest of her family.

"Just in time firecracker." A man with a playful grin in a cape who smelled strongly of whiskey stood with an electric hair cutting thing that Yang could never remember the name of. "Hold him down!"

"Qrow, I think you're getting a bit carried away." Their sighed, his face in his palm, shaking his head in frustration.

"Ah, he knows I'm just kidding, right kiddo?" Qrow put his hand on Garnet's head, ruffling up his hair with his fingers.

"Y-yeah…" The little boy's response was barely audible.

Now that Yang had thoroughly taken in the hectic scene in her living room, she had a chance to process what was happening, particularly focusing on her little brother. Garnet sat on a stool with an apron on and his big silver eyes dull and resigned. He looked like he had surrendered to something very unpleasant.

 _He's miserable. Why are they doing this?_ She wanted to immediately stop them but… _If I try, they might pressure him or me for answers, I don't think that would make things better. What can I do? Come on Yang, think!_

"Alright, so how do you want it?" Qrow tossed the hair clipper up, letting it spin before trying to catch it… only for the cord to snag, making the device fall onto the hard floor. "Oops."

"Please don't go breaking our house, Qrow." All Tai could do was sigh at the spectacle a simple haircut was becoming.

"Seems like you're having some bad luck, maybe the haircut can wait until tomorrow?" With a hopeful half smile, Yang just pleaded in her head for them to call it quits, but she knew it was unlikely.

"I'm fine." Qrow's voice had a subtle hint of annoyance as he dusted off the clipper. "Come on kiddo, let's get you a new look, all the girls at school won't be able to resist you and all the guys will be jealous once I'm through with you."

"That… would be… nice." Garnet gave the smallest, weakest smile. Yang had never heard a single syllable ever before sound so forced and tortured out as when he said 'nice'. It was clear to her that Garnet was extremely uncomfortable but didn't want to hurt their feelings or worry them by expressing that.

 _I have to do something._ Once again, determination soared within her, but her mind frantically struggled to come up with a plan.

"You're gonna be one handsome guy after clean you up. Nothing like a new look to help you get some confidence." The clipper buzzed to life in Qrow's hand and Garnet just let out a soft exhale and shut his eyes tight.

 _Come on! Think! There has to be something!_

 **Bvvvvvvvvvvvv!**

"Wait!" Yang blurted out so loudly it even startle her and Garnet.

The room went silent and all eyes were on her, and Yang suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment… until she met Garnet's gaze. His hopeful eyes shined at her with gratitude and relief. That one look gave her the will to follow through.

"I- I um… I want to get my hair cut too." She could practically hear their jaws hitting the floor.

"Say that again firecracker?" Qrow lowered the clipper in awe and confusion, reaching for his flask and giving it a shake, making sure he wasn't ' _that_ ' drunk.

"It's… too… long." Every word felt like torture and she was sure she could feel her hair cringing. "It takes half a bottle of condition per wash to maintain it, it gets in way when I'm training and- and I just want a change okay!" Her cheeks were red and her heart was pounding, all the while, Garnet looked at her with awe.

"Well... if that's how you feel, I don't see anything wrong with it." Tai was just as perplexed as Qrow.

"Sorry, kid, I don't know how any girl haircuts. We can take you to the local salon tomorrow." Qrow seemed entirely confused, looking around like the sky was gonna fall.

"C-could I go with?" Garnet's soft voice squeaked up, grabbing everyone's attention. "To get my hair cut there?"

"What, you don't think I could do it?" Qrow all but pouted, looking equal parts disappointed and offended.

"Uncle Qrow, last time you cut his hair, you almost took his ear off, besides, you only ever do his hair like yours." Yang laughed, trying to keep attention on her.

"She's got you there, Qrow." Tai joined in the fun, seeming genuinely happy to tease his former teammate. "I don't think it would be a bad idea, if that's what you want, Garnet."

"Yeah, I think I'd like. I'm sorry, Uncle Qrow." The boy smiled so warmly and genuinely that Qrow just surrendered immediately.

"Eh, it's alright, Pipsqueak." He smirked. "When you don't like how they do your hair, I'll fix it for an apology."

"Will do!" Garnet's playful, shining self was back, though brief, Yang made sure to take in the moment.

 _I have your back, you're not alone, little bro. You don't need to open up right away, I'm here for you whenever you need me._ Yang's heart felt warm and she knew she made a breakthrough with her brother, however small it was.

"Hey, bro, wanna come to my room and help me pick out a new hairstyle?" With a grin, she motioned with her head for him to follow.

"Yes! I- I mean, yeah, I'll help." Happily, he followed his big sister up the stairs to her bedroom.

 _It's going to be okay, I won't lose him, no matter what._


End file.
